Soooooo satisfying!!!

[Colonel Mustard]

After a couple of weeks playing with my new Mazaki gyuto, I noticed a couple of microchips. So, even though it had a great OOTB edge, I decided to sharpen it this morning to get rid of those chips. I started on a Gesshin Jinzo Aoto, and finished on a Gesshin splash n' go 6000. I also tried to put a microbevel on it to reduce the chance of more microchips. So how does it cut now? Awful!!! My hands weren't too stable (I'm really new at this) and you could see, just by looking at the edge that my angle wasn't consistent.

Fast forward to tonight. I was a bit mad at myself that I now had a knife that cut worse than OOTB. I started over with the same progession, going a bit slower, keeping my angle consistent (and not having my kids running around me while I sharpen) and guess what? I've never had a knife so sharp!!! I can shave my armhairs with it, horizontally cut grapes (easily) or push cut them. I'm really happy I was able to fix my own mistake and start to understand what I'm doing. I think what did it was:

1. Lower angle
2. More consistent angle
3. No microbevel (if it chips, I'll start over)

 

[refcast]

Congratz.

Another thing I did was put my fingers as close to the edge as possible. Do that section --> move to next section 1 cm away --> repeat for whole blade, both sides.

Also to keep hands more stable during push and pull. Not for angle consistency, for me personally, but for a clean, rigid cut. Like filing, almost. I find this gave better bite and edge retention. . .

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Thanks for the cue! I'm not sure what you mean by filing, though.